Working Together to Save Channel Island Foxes

The success of Channel Island fox recovery is rooted in cooperation among a broad group of government agencies, public and private conservation groups, scientists and researchers, and an active local community. Students, from elementary through high school, have played an active role as Island Fox Ambassadors–raising funds for radio tracking collars, ID microchips, and vaccinations.

This month students from the Buena High Enviromental Club (Ventura, CA) received national recognition for their efforts in restoring native plant ecosystems in Channel Islands National Park. The students from Buena High have also been strong supporters of island fox conservation.

Friends of the Island Fox's motto has always been "Working Together to Save the Island Fox." Many endangered species to not have the benefit of people working in collaboration. We have seen the Channel Island fox rebound from the edge of extinction because people working together can facilitate positive change.

photo courtesy of K. Lampkin

Three Cheers for our active young people and Many Thanks to all the people, near and far, who have helped to fund conservation efforts that have worked!

• Fresno Chaffee Zoo Conservation Grant
• Santa Barbara Zoo
• Fort Collins CO Foxes Baseball Team

It all begins with the annual meeting of the Island Fox Working Group in June. Last year we found out about the threat posed to island foxes by trash cans on Santa Catalina. (2014 meeting of the Island Fox Working Group) You helped us respond to this conservation challenge. Any day now we hope to announce we have reached our goal on this effort.

This year drought and biosecurity are on the meeting agenda, both pose threats to stable Channel Island fox populations. Stay tuned for updates from the biologists, veterinarians, and scientists working in the field.